The FABRICATOR® is North America's leading magazine for the metal forming and fabricating industry. The magazine delivers the news, technical articles, and case histories that enable fabricators to do their jobs more efficiently. The FABRICATOR has served the industry since 1971. Print subscriptions are free to qualified persons in North America involved in metal forming and fabricating.

Selected articles from the September 2014 issue available online:

Sue Rollins takes safety personally, and for good reason. The quality
assurance manager and safety coordinator at Genzink Steel, Holland
Mich., has a life history greatly affected by workplace hazards. To be
effective and to convey her message, she makes quality and safety
personal.

Advanced Metal Components has endured tragedy and evolved into
a major employer in rural Swainsboro, Ga. Part of it comes from
having the right technology, but most of the company’s evolution has
involved a perception change about inventory management.

As more metal fabricators look to increase value-added activities, they are considering adding a powder coating line. Before they do that, however, they need to know what's involved. They need to select a system that fits a specific footprint, can deliver the customers’ surface appearance and corrosion protection requirements, and meets budget constraints. In other words, they really need to do their homework.

Almost every natural and synthetic material has been tried as a waterjet cutting abrasive. The best material appears to be almandine garnet. However, it's the right combination of hardness, density, toughness, and particle shape in the garnet that maximizes a waterjet's cutting capabilities.

AGCO engineers don’t have to rely solely on the traditional product development process any longer. They have implemented a new virtual reality system that enables engineers to correct design flaws without having to build multiple prototypes. Now the tool is being used to build the company’s first generation of global agricultural equipment.

Editor Eric Lundin recounts some of the more interesting articles published in TPJ since it was founded in 1990, discusses some of the trends, and provides some input from early members of TPA’s board of directors.

The traditional cost-based approach to manufacturing promotes using
your resources—people and machines—to the fullest extent, but this
can wreak havoc in high-product-mix manufacturing, especially in
contract operations with varying and unpredictable levels of demand.
This is where the value of spare capacity comes into play.

As a custom fabricator, you need to establish contrast—that is, why a
customer should choose your company over others. You establish
contrast not with generic platitudes, but by specifically addressing
customer pain points and describing how you can eliminate them.

Contract metal fabricators may have similar assets and offer similar
services, but have very different financial results. The differences
may come from differing customer mixes, but it also comes from the
fact that many shops have highly concentrated sources of revenue.
Lose one big account, and financial results seriously suffer.

Many point to scheduling as one of the most challenging aspects of
running a custom fabrication business. Why, exactly? Sometimes it’s
the software, but quite often, it boils down to the inputs used to create
the schedule in the first place.

Bending small parts presents various challenges for press brake
technicians, who need to make sure they can bend these small parts
quickly and, most importantly, safely. Although the best approach to
bending depends on the application, the electric press brake can help
make the job much easier.

The aging workforce is a complex, multifaceted issue, but it has one
immutable fact: There will be more older people working than ever
before. Older workers can be incredibly valuable to a manufacturer.
They have the experience and skill that this industry craves. But you
can’t escape biology. As we get older, the body changes, and the
workplace needs to account for these changes. The good news is that
these changes not only help older workers, but every employee at the
company.

The Fabricator Blog

The college track passes right by manufacturing - by Dan Davis

As educators push for their students toward a college-prep curriculum, students are missing out on possible vocational training opportunities and the manufacturing industry is missing out on young talent.

More Media:

The Fabricator®

North America's leading magazine for the metal forming and fabricating industry, delivering news, technical articles, and case histories. Print subscriptions are free to qualified persons in North America involved in metal forming and fabricating.